Digital technology ushers in a new era, the digital age.

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai presided over the discussion. Photo: Quochoi.vn

Digital technology gives rise to digital transformation.

On November 30th, responding to comments from National Assembly deputies on the draft Law on Digital Technology Industry, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung stated that digital technology is the next stage of information technology development, but with a revolutionary nature. Digital technology gives rise to digital transformation. Digital technology is a new productive force, truly opening a new era, the digital era, for the development of humanity. If Vietnam wants to become a developed socialist country with high income, we must be among the leaders in digital technology and the digital technology industry. If the National Assembly passes this Law in the next session, Vietnam will be among the first countries to have a separate law on the digital technology industry.

The digital technology industry is a very dynamic, large, and important economic and technical sector of the country. Perhaps the most important thing is to clarify the concept of digital technology, especially how digital technology differs from information technology. The main distinction between information technology and digital technology is to differentiate their processing objects: information and data. Information technology processes information, while digital technology processes data. Information technology digitizes and processes information, for example, digitizing text and then processing it on a computer.

Digital technology generates and processes data. Data is unstructured, it lacks semantic meaning, it is a raw, unprocessed resource. Data is infinite, far greater than information. Data is a new resource, a new means of production, a new input for production, just like land in the real world. In the process of development, humanity consumes and depletes resources, and today, human development creates a new resource—data—and solves the global problem of resource depletion.

According to Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung, digital technology gives rise to digital transformation.

Digital technology processes data, generates new value, and creates development for the country. Digital technology not only processes data but also generates data, creating digital transformation, a new living space – the digital space – creating new ways and models of operation, a digital revolution, and a digital transformation revolution. This is the most important and fundamental aspect. Therefore, digital technology is the main driving force of development and digital transformation, the basic productive force in the new era. Digital technology processes data, and naturally, it also processes information; digital technology encompasses information technology, but information technology does not encompass digital technology.

In terms of specific technologies, digital technology encompasses previous generations of information technologies, and new-generation digital technologies such as the Internet of Things, big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, blockchain, virtual reality, and other digital technologies, such as quantum computing, which is emerging due to its ability to process much larger amounts of data.

The first law to be supported by AI.

According to Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung, the 2006 Information Technology Law has three main parts: the part on network information security has been separated into the 2015 Law on Network Information Security; the part on the development, mainly the information technology industry, is being separated into the Law on Digital Technology Industry, which is expected to be passed by the National Assembly in 2025; and the part on applications, mainly related to e-government, is expected to be separated by the National Assembly into a law on digital government, at which point the Information Technology Law may cease to exist. Separating them into three distinct laws creates a strong development space for all three of these crucial areas. Other countries around the world also approach it this way.

A view of the 8th session of the 15th National Assembly. Photo: Quochoi.vn

Following the directives of General Secretary To Lam and National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man on reforming legislative work, for new issues that are still in development, the law stipulates general principles for management and development, ensuring that management keeps pace with and fosters development. Then, it entrusts the Government with the task of providing detailed regulations to ensure flexibility. The Law on Digital Industry and Technology has approached this in this way to address issues related to digital assets and artificial intelligence.

The Law on Digital Technology Industry also dedicates a separate chapter to the semiconductor industry. In September 2024, the Prime Minister issued a national strategy on the semiconductor industry, considering semiconductor chips as a core technology. The draft law stipulates policies to support development and ensure national security for this strategic industry, incorporating many of the best policies to support this strategic technology.

Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung stated that, taking into account the opinions of National Assembly deputies, the drafting agency will invest more in the content of green digital technology industry because digital technology will be the sector that consumes the most energy and generates the most electronic waste. The digital technology industry must not only be green but also self-reliant and safe. Therefore, the drafting agency will invest more in the content related to self-reliance, safety, and greenness.

"Regarding synchronization with existing and draft laws, the Draft Law on Digital Technology Industry is the first law to use AI to support the detection of conflicts and overlaps in legal documents," Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung informed.

According to Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai, after discussions, delegates agreed on the necessity of enacting the Law on Digital Technology Industry to address the shortcomings of the current law.

Supporting businesses in developing digital technology.

Concluding the session, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai stated that, through discussion, delegates agreed on the necessity of enacting the Law on Digital Technology Industry to overcome the shortcomings of current legislation, implement the Party's policy on digital technology, apply digital technology to socio-economic activities, contribute to the formation and development of digital production methods, fundamentally change the way the state and citizens interact, gradually shift from assembly and processing to creative design, integrated production, mastering core digital technologies, and contribute to promoting national digital transformation and the development of a digital socio-economic system.

Delegates participated in discussions on the scope of regulation, terminology interpretation, digital technology development policies, classification of digital assets, digital currency, digital data, human resources in digital technology, digital technology zones, development of digital technology enterprises, controlled testing mechanisms, and the artificial intelligence semiconductor industry.

Delegates raised concerns about protecting privacy in the digital sector, the responsibility of businesses in the sustainable development of digital technology, prioritizing the development of green and energy-efficient technologies, supporting businesses in developing digital technology, and the responsibility for technology transfer to foreign businesses in this field; they also called for transparency and risk control in the development of digital technology and artificial intelligence.

The delegates also suggested reviewing and ensuring consistency within the legal system, and contributed many opinions on specific provisions in the Draft Law. These are responsible opinions that need to be carefully studied in order to be incorporated, explained, and perfected in the Draft Law.

"The Standing Committee of the National Assembly will direct the verification agency to closely coordinate with the drafting agency and relevant agencies to study the opinions in order to incorporate and finalize the draft Law for submission to the National Assembly for consideration and decision," emphasized National Assembly Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Hai.

Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/bo-truong-bo-tttt-nguyen-manh-hung-cong-nghe-so-mo-ra-ky-nguyen-moi-ky-nguyen-so.html